3 ms·
A minute of arc is one sixtieth of a degree. (A "minute", get it?) The moon is between 29.4 and 33.5 arcminutes wide, depending on where it is in its orbit. So
by sbierwagen 4y ago
A minute of arc is one sixtieth of a degree. (A "minute", get it?)
The moon is between 29.4 and 33.5 arcminutes wide, depending on where it is in its orbit. So about a tenth of the width of the moon.
- leeoniya 4y ago> So about a tenth of the width of the moon. this is so much more digestible than "grain of sand at arm's length", and those two metrics dont feel at all equivalent -- the moon is not ten grains of sand at arm's length wide, right?
- sbierwagen 4y agoThe moon is pretty darn small. Half a degree wide. Imagine gluing ten grains of sand together, balancing it on a fingertip, then stretching your arm out. Around a degree wide? Depending on your grain of sand, of course.
- leeoniya 4y agohmmm, about the size of an asprin tablet or pea at arm's length, seems to agree with somewhat smaller than thumbnail [1]. maybe i should find and measure some sand now :). in either case, 1/10 the width of the moon is so much easier to comprehend. when is the last time anyone tried holding a grain of sand at arms length? what a weird comparison to make when everyone on earth already has a stable/familiar reference in the sky. [1] https://astronomy.com/magazine/stephen-omeara/2010/01/stephen-james-omearas-secret-sky-measure-the-moon https://astronomy.com/magazine/stephen-omeara/2010/01/stephe...